Wait, isn't a massive battle about to happen?

After fumbling my clothes onto my body, I'm escorted back to my party by Kaki; Hakai heading elsewhere to perform her duties as Announcer. The Pale Oni seemed to snap into a completely different personality once out of the throws of passion, now walking with an air of superiority in each step. Down the hall, the large Orc from earlier, named Burgroo, was passing off his gate duty to another; he heads past us, and towards the Barracks.

"Hey Kaki. Looking cute..." Says the mass of green muscle.

She responds with puffed cheeks, and an upturned nose. The Orc seems embarrassed, lowering his head in shame as he walks by.

"What was that about?" I ask; once out of earshot, of course.

Kaki gives me a mildly rude glare. "Why should I tell you?"

I give a coy smile in return; whispering. "Payment, for the mind-shattering orgasm?"

Her cheeks darken, and her glare turns even nastier. "You... Oh fine; brute. Here I'd thought someone as pretty as you would be more noble natured... That one has been pestering me about setting up a date with Hakai. The damned savage, thinking he can bed an Oni just like that."

I try to hold back a burst of laughter, letting out a chuckle instead.

That glare turns near violent as Kaki stomps on my foot mid walk, sending me to the floor. "Oh don't you get uppity with me! That... situation... was only because you proved yourself stronger than Hakai... which means you are stronger than me. That Orc has failed his attempts; the weakling."

Recovering from the smashed toes; none of which were broken, thankfully, I ask a question. "So. Yokong. What's it like?"

That nasty glare softened, replaced with confusion; halting her stride. "That's... sudden. Why do you wish to know of our homeland?"

I stop as well. "I'm planning on meeting someone there; there's this time where the trees 'get pretty', and she always shows up for it. Do you know anything about it?"

"Pffft... 'Get pretty.' Who told you that?" Kaki asks, bemused. "Who ever worded such a profound ceremony with such simplicity sounds like a total..."

"One of the Gods; specifically the one whose sister is traveling with us." I add; smiling as I see the Oni's face grow even paler than usual.

"... genius! Like a genius!" She begins to walk again; as if expecting a bolt of lightning to smite her where she stands. "Well, I suppose you mean Lotus-Fall. It happens at the mid-point of Mourant; the Season of ****. It is a time when people mourn for their lost loved ones. Fathers mourn for sons, fallen in battle. Would-Be-Mothers mourn for their unborn. Forlorn Lovers pining after lost lovers. That sort of thing..."

My heart skips a beat; does... does she remember me, then?

"Do you have anyone to mourn?" I ask, looking onward; our destination within sight.

Kaki pauses, seeming distant in the moment; yet still angered by my prodding. "None of your business..."

The door back to the guest area is still opened, and the two of us enter. Checking in, the table was still smashed to pieces; a sight that once more put a darkness to the Oni's cheeks. We head up the flight of stairs towards the balcony; finally returned, my party calls over to me.

"Hey! You missed the last three practice matches!" Says Ashes. "I learned a new way to parry axes! Ooo, I'm so excited to see more when the crowds arrive..."

Cilla is the first to spot my escort, calling over. "Oh, you're the Oni that shattered the half-giant's leg; correct? Do tell, how did you become so fast with that brush."

Kaki doesn't answer, taking the front-most seat for herself. "Why should I answer that?"

This response was given the expected result; a glare that usually caused a chill to go down my spine.

Oh, I didn't think we'd find a match for Cilla in this department...

I take a seat next to Cilla and Eve; a bit concerned that one of the Arena's matches might just start right here in the rafters if our escorts mood continued to sour. Kaki looked away from all of us, acting as though being our party's escort was some sort of arduous task; one for which she had naught to use but her bare hands, and a torn hankie. Even the dripping ink from her horns seemed displeased, as it vanished in a hissing sizzle when contacting the floor.

Scott shuffles his seat forward, nearer to Kaki. "So, you're class is a Barbarian evolution, I take it? I can sense your Spirit."

I could hear her heart-rate increase; finally, a subject she enjoyed? Likely... Herself...

Pretending not to care, and stifling a smile, she says "If you must know, I am a Tier III Mahokai; a form of Barbarian Evolution within Yokong. One that has partial-access to Magic, through channeling the power of Yokai, or Spirits, as you call them. I can place Tags upon enemies, surfaces, objects; and produce a desired result. It just requires a word to be written on the Tag; like so."

With lightning fast movements, a paper Tag had been pulled from under her breast-wrapping, inked upon by her brush with an odd symbol, and then placed onto the chair next to her. The chair then bursts into flames, turning into nothing but ash in a few, stunning seconds.

"More complex Spells can be enacted by placing several tags at the same time..." She explains; holding out a hand.

Droplets of clear liquid forms at the tip of her fingers, all falling as one into a single blob. This blob then swirls about, forming an odd creature. A Spirit, which at first glance was just a young, rosey-cheeked boy, was in fact nothing of the sort. Above his blue eyes, and his head of white hair, was a wide, brimmed, green lily-pad; filled to the brim with what smelled like ink-thinner, upon which floated a pink flower. I've been around Cilla enough to know the smell... Besides that, the boy had patches of green scales up his arms, and down his legs. Fins popped out at his elbows, and connected his fingers and toes. The boy was dressed in green shorts, a thin, pink vest, and wore straw-sandals; which were oddly tall...

"This is Yori; my Yokai. Say hello, Yori."

The Kappa tips his lily-pad, somehow not spilling even a drop of his paint-thinner; his voice being that of an overly-excitable youngster. "Yo-yo-yo! I'm Yori! This is usually where I'd slap you to say hello, but my Boss said not to do that after the last incident."

"I have a Boss too!" Says Sammy, jumping out of her chair excitedly.

A voice comes from the Alma. "I like this little guy! He's got a can-do-attitude."

Kaki rolls her eyes, but maintains the same level of enthusiasm. "Yori can undo the effects of any Tag I produce; including any damage it's done... unless it's killed someone, of course. Oh, and he can do the usual thing that Kappa do..."

"What's that?" I ask; this little guy looks harmless, after all. "Splash stuff in our eyes?"

Yori answers in his Mistresses stead; smiling, to everyone's dismay...

"I can rip your soul out through your butt."

"Eep!" Zana vanishes within her hat; hands covering her rear.

"Feck'n hell! I'm out!" Trix yells, following Zana into the headwear.

Sammy, however, answers in a way only a Sammy could. "Oh, I think I ate my Sister's soul yesterday. It was kinda sour..."

"I know, right? Who thought souls would taste so gnarly?" Says the Kappa, laughing all the while as he slaps his own rosy cheeks.

"Yori. Return. Now." Says Kaki; not getting a peep out of her Spirit.

Yori pulls off his lily-pad hat, pouring its contents all over himself. The Spirit quickly becomes yet more ink-thinner, before swiftly moving towards his Mistress, making contact with her pale flesh, and vanishing from sight as he merges back into her being.

The Oni smiles ever so slightly, whispering to herself. "That was nice. Hm..."

Around half an hour of uncomfortable quiet passes; with Zana and Trix slowly deciding to return from their far-off quest to Hatlandia with help from Ashes, who was shaking their hiding space violently. Cilla was still closely examining Kaki's movements, taking notes loudly, hoping to learn how to be an even more efficient quill-pusher. Gabbie was humming some prayer-hymns, which Sammy was joining in on to pass the time. Scott decided to spend the time taking Eve's measurements, much to the Compuro's delight, as according to her; "It has been a while since last I checked, and I've replaced three legs since then."

It was a (relatively) peaceful way to pass the time; at least it was, until I heard the sounds of footsteps. Lots, and lots of footsteps. Soon, the rafters were being filled by people from all across Bludbag, as the populace were finally permitted entry to the Arena for Citrinas' arrival. This was when the actual, real fights started to be held in the meantime, which is when I saw Hakai's place of work be pulled into position, by large chain pulley machinery. A massive metal ball, with it's top half built like a cage, housed the Blue Oni Announcer, who began her work of calling out to the Arena Goers.

Then, the real matches began; starting with a familiar figure. The Minotaur who ran the Tavern we were staying at, adorned with naught but a long string of beads, from right shoulder to left hip, and a loincloth (thankfully, a secondary set of under-garments were present underneath the straps of leather.)

The Tavernkeep is here... that must mean the rest are likely here as well...

I poke Kaki on the shoulder; to which she slaps my hand away. "Ow! Watch the claws."

"Oh, Sorry." I say, then returning to my rising question. "I was going to ask if you know anything about the See'n Red tavern here in town. Seeing as that's the owner..."

"The what?" Asks the Oni, annoyed at my pestering. "I've never heard of a tavern by that name, and I've lived in Bludbag for almost a year now. Don't test my patience..."

Wait, if she hasn't even heard of them, then does that mean that every patron we saw were... agents?! That's around thirty people! How in the Hells do you set up a Tavern that quickly!?

I motion for the others to gather with me by the exit to the Waiting Room; warning them of my hunch.

"Well... the Tavern could be a Mimic." Says Ariel from within the Alma. "There was a Mansion Mimic me and the other Chosen went to once, it was full of Zombies, but none of the surrounding village knew where they were coming from."

Cilla nods. "Mimics are known to have a magical effect on people's memories; a way of keeping survivors from spreading the word that a certain tree or boulder is actually a blood-thirsty monster. So it's possible... that would mean it's been told to allow us to remember the Tavern; which would get us to be the only repeat customers."

"Aw..." Whines Zana. "I hope we don't have to hurt the Mimic."

Returning to our seats; with an odd look from Kaki, we continue our observation of the surrounding rafters, and the Arena's combatants. Half an hour in, Trixie spots the Bandaged-Woman, Helen, in the crowd; handing out fliers for the See'n Red. Some minutes later, Scott sees the Purple-Haired Waitress, doing the same. I spot a few faces I recognized from the Tavern as well; and decide to test my theory. Using Gods Eye, I try and make out what material is used for their scraps of red cloth; no Runacathy in town, but the tavern was full of successful Initiates?

"Cilla, what are Runacathy cloaks made out of?" I ask, keeping my eyes on the grouping of tavern goers.

Seeing where my eyes led, she answers. "Spider's Silk... what are their scraps made of?"

"Cotton." I reply, feeling a mixture of pride, and anxiety. "I was right... I kind of wish I wasn't."

A full hour had passed; ending with almost all known enemies accounted for. The few that were missing were Un-Oz, Oro the Chef, two of the thirty Tavern Agents, and Urgog himself. Any time I tried to use my Target-Pull on Urgog, I felt no pull; a kind of magic like what we used against Fawks was at play. Half tempted to go into the rafters on foot, my train of thought is halted by the sudden darkening of the Arena, as a massive shadow overtakes the Temple of Tailum... no, the entirety of Bludbag.

"It got spooky!" Says Sammy, leaning her head out from the Private Balcony to look up toward the sky. "Big bird!"

I do the same, spotting the object that was now blocking the sun; stunning me in place. "Holy... shit..."

A gargantuan airship, around half the size of the entirety of Bludbag had just flown overhead. To think that such a large mass could achieve flight was... unthinkable. From so far away, I could barely make out what it was made of; be it wood, or a similar hue of otherworldly metal. A pair of massive, mechanical wings beat the air at it's sides; an absurdly sized balloon yet further above the oversized edifice, connected by cables as thick as guard-towers. Descending from it's size was a smaller, yet still massive airship; around one-and-a-half the Maiyo's Kiss.

Ariel chips in, adding to my astonishment. "Hey! She brought the medium model! Always liked those the best."

"That's medium!?"